Centrifugal pump



Oct. 25, 1938. H. E. LA SOUR I 2,134,255

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Original Filed Nov. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 25, 1938. H. LA soul CENTRIFUGAL PUMP v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 5, 1934 cizzaez "051' v Patented Oct. 25, 1938 CENTBIFUGAL PUMP Harry E. La Bour, Elkhart, Ind.

Original application November 5, 1934, Serial No. 751,445. Divided and this application July 8,

1935, Serial No. 30,252

5 Claims.

This is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 751,445, filed November 5, 1934, and is concerned with an improved pump support andan improved shaft packing means associated therewith and carried thereby in a novel manner.

In my copending-application, of which this is a division, I have disclosed and claimed certain new and useful improvements in a multi-throat centrifugal pump characterized by its high efli ciency' and lower cost and in which the shape and proportions of the various pump parts and passageways are so coordinated as to effect sub-' 1 gland unusually easy, and an improvedpump support not only accommodating the packing means but also providing easy access to the pack-' ing.

Other and incidental objects and improvements will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the appended claims. Now in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and operating a device embodying my invention, I shall describe, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, a specific embodiment of the same.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, showing one specific pump of my invention with its driveshaft and mounting;

Figure 2 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section through the pin of the modified form of a gland follower arm. The pump III comprises three chief parts, namely, the impeller I, the main body and casing I2, and the cover or inlet member I3. The impeller shaft 2 is coupled to a suitable driving shaft section I4, the coupling being in endwise alignment, as will be later described. The driving shaft section I4 and the impeller shaft 2 are coupled by a key I5 which lies within telescoping splines formed in the respective parts, the impeller shaft having a reduced end or stud portion which fits within an axial recess I6 in the adjacent end of the driving shaft section I4, a

and hydraulic threaded rod or bolt II extending through the hollow shaft section I4 and being threaded into the end of the impeller shaft 2 and provided externally with a tightening nut I8 to pull the shaft section I4 and the impeller shaft 2 into telescopic relation and in alignment, this being particularly facilitated by the sliding fit and the, provision of the shoulder I9 at the junction of the stud or reduced portion of the impeller shaft with the full section thereof. This shoulder engagesthe end face of the driving shaft section I4.

The impeller shaft 2 is designed to be guided concentrically of the packing recess 20 which is formed about the shaft opening through the hub 2I formed on the main pump casing or frame I2.

This hub 2| projects axially from the side wall of the pump casing or frame, and is provided witha flatf'annular machined surface 22 which provides "a clamping surface against which there is bolted a similar annular surface ona cooperating clamping member 23,- which is preferably ring-shaped in form and provided with a of the hub member 2| and the clamping member 23, as by a series of studs 25. Cap screws may be employed instead of studs. The clamping member 23' and the flange 24 are preferably piloted together by interengaging annular shoulders, as indicated at 26. The piloting shoulder 26 on the flange 24 has an internal cylindrical surface and the co operating pilot face on the ring 22 has a cooperating external cylindrical surface. This is desirable in the present construction because the ring member 22 is slotted or cut, as will be seen from Figure 2. If the flange 24 had the internal cylindrical piloting surface, it would 'tend to spread the split ring asthe weight would then fall upon the lower part of the ring.

A supporting pedestal 2'I is'adapted to support both the driving shaft section I4, with its connected impeller shaft.2 and impeller I, and also to hold the pump casing or frame in proper g the arms 33-33.

' which central part includes the apertured or ring-like clamping members 3|, 32 for supporting the bearing for the shaft section H. The ring-like members 3|, 32 are split and are formed at their lower ends integral with the base portion stresses placed upon them. Being thin, the arms 33, 33 occupy less space than has heretofore been found necessary and provide room between them and below them for ready access to the packing gland.

The shaft section I4 is supported at the bearings 33 and 34, these bearings being shown as ball bearings having the inner rings mounted on the shaft section l4 as by means of a shoulder on the shaft section, a clamping ring 35 for the bearing 33, and a similar clamping ring 33 for the bearing 34. The outer rings are mounted in a cylindrical sleeve member or barrel 31 which has extending flange portions at 33, 33 for cooperating with the split, rings 3| and 32. Cap members 43 and 42 are held by suitable bolts such as 43 and 44 against the corresponding ends of the barrel member 31 and hold the outer races in place. The outer raceof the bearing 34 is held in place endwise to limit the axial travel of the shaft section l4 and hence of the impeller .in the pump casing I2. The outer race of the bearing 33 is merely confined circumferentially and is allowed to float in the axial direction.

It will be seen that the flanges of the barrel member are less in diameter than the opening through the slotted clamping ring 23 carried by 'Thebarrel member and the bearings thus may be removed without disturbing the main body of the pedestal member 21. The barrel member 31 and ring 32 are piloted together by registering grooves or keyways into which a pin or key-52 may be disposed for accurate alignment and assembly of the parts. While the ring members 3| and 32 are preferably split and then clamped upon the flanges 33 and 33, the parts may be provided merely with a suitable concentric .fit and bolted in place by overhanging flanges, if desired.

The impeller shaft 2 carries a liquid slinger 45 which cooperates with the end cap 42 to prevent the travel of liquid along the shaft 2 into the bearings or into the junction between the two shaft sections. The barrel 31 may be provided with a suitable fllling of oil or grease as through the plug 43, a drain plug 41 being provided at the rear. The base 23 is provided with flanges upon opposite sides such as indicated at 43, suitable feet such as 43-43 being formed on the four corners for mounting the base 23 upon a suitable surface 53.

On the interior of the axial packing recess 23 follower 53 upon the shaft 2. The intermediate or main gland follower 53 is provided with a circumferential. recess with which there communicates a lubricating pipe 53 (see Figures 1 and 2) to the outer end of which a compression grease cup is preferably connected. A follower ring 51 mounted on the shaft 2 is adapted to engage the end of the secondary gland follower 55 and apply a yielding pressure to the main gland follower 53, thereby to retain packing in the recess 23.

The secondary gland follower 55 may be split so as to be removable if desired. The ring 51 has a recess which embraces the end of the follower 55 and provides the necessary hoop strength for the outer end thereof, the inner end of the follower 55 being restrained in the recess in the outer end of the main gland follower 53.

The ring 51 has a pair of notches (see Figure 2) into which are extended the short pinsor studs-53-59 of a fork member 33 formed in the lower or vertical arm 32 of a bell crank lever 33 which is pivoted upon a pin 34 extending loosely through the bell crank lever and through the supporting arms or plates 33-33 and held in place as by cotter pins 35-65.

The horizontal arm. 33 of the bell crank lever 33 is-providedwith a fork 38 at its outer end which is adapted to receive the shank 69 of an eye-bolt 13 between the tines thereof, the eye of the bolt receiving and being pivoted on a pin or shaft 12 supported in the frame arms 33'.-

These tines are notched transversely to receive the ends of a pivot bar 14 which, in effect,forms a knife "edge bearing in the aforesaid notches. The pivot bar "has a central hole which passes over the shank of the eye-bolt 13, and a compression spring 15 bears upon the said pivot bar 14 and is adjustably stressed by the wing nut 13.

To service the packing gland, the wing nut 13 is released to allow the bar 14 to be raised out of the notch in fork '33 to release the same from the horizontal arm 36 of the bell crank lever 33. If desired, the transverse pin'12 may be removed, but this is not usually necessary. The lever 33, however, is preferably removed to provide access to the gland and follower. This is done by withdrawing one of the cotter pins 35, pulling out the cross pin 34, unhooking the pins 59 from the notches in the ring 51, whereupon the bell crank lever 33 maybe withdrawn, making the entire gland readily accessible from the space between the two plates or arms 33-33. Since these plates 33-33 do not extend substantially below the center line of the packing gland and its shaft 2, the lower half of the gland is quite open at all times, and with the lever 33 out of the way a high degree of accessibility is afforded. In Figure 2 it will be observed that the lower edge of the arms 33-33 lies above the top of the shaft 2.

If it is desired to remove the impeller the pressure on the packing gland may be released by throwing the eye-bolt 13 and its spring 13 out or register with the fork 38, whereupon the pressure upon the packing is released. The shaft section l4 may then be uncoupled from the shaft 2 by loosening the bolt l1 or the nut I3 and pull- ,ing the impeller with its shaft 2, to the left as viewed in Figure 1. The liquidslinger 45 is relatively loose upon the shaft 2 and may readily be stripped off of the end of the same, and the shaft 2 thereupon pulled through the packing gland and out of the open side of the pump frame or casing 2, the inlet plate l3 being removed.

If it is desired to remove the bearings 33 and 34, this may readily be done by releasing the barrel 3'! and the rings 3| and 32. Where it is desired to remove the barrel and the shaft section M with the pump, the studs or bolt 25 which hold the pump to the pedestal member 21 are loosened, the bell crank 63 is pulled out of the way, the barrel 31 is released from the rings 3| and 32, and thereupon the shaft section I with the barrel may be pulled out through the clamping ring 23 which is large enough to permit these parts to pass. It will be observed that the clamping plate or ring 23 is preferably cut away at the bottom (see Figure 2). This is done to facilitate assembly and also to prevent liquid of a corrosive character from attacking the clamping plate or ring. Obviously the ring 23 need not be so cut away.

The hub 2| is provided with an annular water passageway surrounding the main packing for cooling the same. Water may be introduced into this cooling chamber or water jacket either from an external connection, such as the delivery side'of the pump, as through a pipe H, the water then being discharged through a passageway 18 to the runner chamber near the hub thereof, or the circulation for the water jacket may be entirely internal, by providing an inlet passageway to the water jacket from a point where the pressure is greater and a discharge at a point where the pressure is less, such points.

existing, at-different radial distances within the casing. The hub and supporting construction which I have shown may be varied. In fact, the

pump casing l2 may be supplied with a solid hub, such as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,993,999, issued March 12, 1935.

The present construction provides a marked improvement over my copending Patent No. 1,993,999, in respect not only to the packing gland construction, but also the mounting construction inthat this mounting is more rigid and provides a longer service life. The bracket arms 30, 30 are made shorter and more rigid, and they are not subject to distortion by the clamping effect whichconnects the pump and the bracket. Since the ring 23 and the flange 24 are clamped on a plane. normal to the axis of the shaft, it is much easier toassemble and disassemble these parts, even though some corrosion of the clamping member 23 has occurred. It is not required to slide two corroded surfaces in respect to each other as was the case in the prior construction. The arms 30, 30 are rigidly braced together by the ring 23, and are not subject to distortion by the clamping action. The

a relatively inexpensive metal, whereas the body of the pump in such case is made of a corrosion resisting metal of a more expensive character. The flange 24 extends radially beyond the barrel portion of the hub, and no machining of I the cylindrical surface of the hub is required. Also the attachment between the ring 23 and flange 24 does not involve any pinching efl'ect upon the water jacket of the hub. Since the core for producing the water jacket may not 3 always stay absolutely centrally, it sometimes occurs that the water jacket is thinner at one part than another and clamping pressure applied to the water jacket might crack the same. The

r; present construction also permits the water connection 11 to be made directly to the water the clamp, as was previously required. The hub may also be braced by webs, such as illustrated at the bottom of Figure 1. The diameters of the hub and of the clamping surface 22, respectively, are now rendered independent of each other.

The gland adjusting structure is a marked improvement. in that .a single adjusting nut, which is out in the open and easily accessible, is available for taking up the wear and tightening the packing. A single adjustment applies pressure on both sides of the shaft to theiollower, and hence secures a uniform eifect which the structure of the prior patent could not readily provide. There is no tendency to cock the gland follower in the present construction, and there is no danger of getting acid or the like corrosive fluids on the hands when a mere tightening of the packing is desired.

The bearing barrel 3'1, which is clamped in the rings 3| and 32 constitutes a container for lubricant which need not be disturbed, even though the said barrel is released from the rings 3|, 32, and pulled out with the pump. It will be ob-.

served that the diameter of the ring 23 is great attachment or release, and where studs 25 are employed, they serve to pilot the flange to the ring 22. The studs 25 and the holes in the flange 24 are equally spaced, so that angular adjustment of the pump with respect to the ring 23 in a number of selected positions may be' made. y

In Figure 2 I have shown the vertical sup.- porting arm portions 30 of the frame or pedestal 21 as disposed in planes spaced apart laterally on opposite sides of the packing gland parts and nearly tangential with respect to the clamping member 23. If desired, these arm portions, while still on opposite sides of the packing means, may be brought closetogether, as shown in Figure 3, the supporting arms being indicated by the reference numeral 30a. As in the construction shown in Figure 2, the supporting arms 30a in Figure 3 are apertured to receive a shaft or pin 64a on which a gland follower bell crank lever 63a is pivotally mounted. The gland follower lever 63a may be provided with an eccentric sleeve I20, held in place by a set screw I22 and being adjustable angularly by the hexagon head I23 to raise or lower the pivot about which the lever 63a swings. The construction shown in Figure 1' could be provided with a similar adjustv ment, if desired. While I have shown and described above the structure in which the principles of the present invention have preferably been embodied, it' is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific details shown and described .but that, in fact, widely different means may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of my invention.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pump, a pump casing having a recessed hub portion, a cooling passageway in said hub portion, a rotor in the casing having a shaft extending through said hub portion, a packing gland on said shaft having packing disposed in said recess ar d having a gland follower on the shaft, a pair of frame members extending from said hub member in an axial direction upon opposite sidesof the shaft and lying mainly above the level of the shaft, a bell crank lever pivoted between said frame members and having a substantially vertical arm engageable with the gland follower and having a substantially horizontal arm and an adjustable loading spring for cooperation with said horizontal arm, and a shiftable member mounted on said frame members and serving as an adjustable fulcrum for said lever.

2. In a pump, a pump casing having a recessed hub portion, a cooling passageway in said hub portion, a rotor in the casing having a shaft extending through said hub portion, a packing gland on said shaft having packing disposed in said recess and-having a gland follower on the shaft, a pair of frame members extending from said hub member in an axial direction upon opposite sides of the shaft and lying mainly above the level of the shaft, a bell crank lever pivoted between said frame members and having a substantially vertical arm engageable with the gland follower and having a substantially horizontal arm and an adjustable loading spring for cooperation with said horizontal arm, and a shiftable eccentric bushing rotatably mounted on said frame members and serving as an adjustable fulcrum for said lever.

3. In a pump, a casing having a packing recess for the impeller shaft, a supporting base, a shaft having hearings in said supporting base extending into the casing through said recess, a pair of substantially vertical, plate-like, supporting arms lying on each side of the shaft and extending longitudinally of the shaft and rigidly holding the casing releasably in fixed alignment with the base, packing and a gland follower cooperating with said recess to form a gland, a removable. transverse pin extending horizontally through said supporting arms, a bell crank lever pivoted on said pin for motion in a vertical plane between said arms and having a generally vertical arm cooperating with said gland follower and having a generally horizontal arm, and adjustable spring loading means cooperating with said horizontal arm and comprising a vertically extending bolt removably anchored at itslower end to at least one of said supporting arms below said horizontally disposed bell crank arm, said bolt having an adjusting nut and a compression spring between said nut and said horizontally disposed bell crank arm, said lever and spring loading means being readily removable to give free access to the gland through the space between said arms.

4. In combination, a pump casing having a hub, an impeller shaft extending axially out through the hub, a ringlike clamping plate adapted to be removably clamped endwise against the hub, a bearing pedestal having a pair of clamping rings axially in alignment with the ringlike clamping plate, a bearing sleeve releasably clamped in said rings, a shaft section rotatably mounted at spaced points in said bearing sleeve and telescopically coupled releasably with the impeller shaft, a packing recess in the hub about the impeller shaft, packing in the recess, a gland follower for the packing, a pair of spaced connecting arms extending longitudinally of the shaft and rigidly connecting the ringlike clamping plate with the pedestal, said arms having a clear. space between them providing access from above to the gland follower, said arms leaving aclear space unobstructed transversely between the hub and thepedestal below the shaft to provide access to the gland follower and packing, a bell crank lever disposed between said arms and having a removable pivot shaft extending through at least one of said arms, said lever having a forked vertically disposed arm for cooperating with said gland follower, and having a horizontally disposed arm, a releasable anchorage connected to at least one of said connecting arms, a spring connecting said anchorage and said horizontally disposed arm, said ringlike clamping plate having a central opening permitting the bearing sleeve to pass through the same to permit the pump, shaft and bearing sleeve to be removed as a unit; said bell crank being removable to permit said bearing sleeve to pass through said ringlike plate.

5. In combination, a pump casing having a horizontal packing hub provided with an axially facing clamping face, an impeller shaft extending horizontally out of said hub, a-jsupporting bracket for the pump casing having a clamp member in the form of a plate having a slotted opening, said plate having an axially facing clamping face adapted to be clamped flat against the face of the hub, said hub and said plate having interfltting concentric circular piloting surfaces-the piloting surface on the hub being internal and the piloting surface on the plate being external.

HARRY E. LA BOUR. 

